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The other night I drifted off to sleep with our neighbour's party music in one ear and Brent murmuring "The global death toll has now reached 10,000," in the other. I think our neighbours are definitely having more fun. I personally don't ...

Even though I did just cut up a cantaloupe into bite sized pieces -- which is a bit of work, actually -- and placed the tiny bits into two matching bowls, and sprinkled them with kosher salt and cinnamon (who knows, really, how ...

Last week I was in Winnipeg with Patricia, my writing buddy and co-author of Craft, Cost & Call: How to Build a Life as a Christian Writer. We visited Providence College & Seminary and spoke and shared with writing students in an ...

Yesterday I read The Minister's Wife: A memoir of faith, doubt, friendship, loneliness, forgiveness and more one last time, every word, each sentence, every scene, each stumbling thought. We are close to the end, which I suppose will be its own beginning. ...

Sometimes when I read contemporary Christian fiction, especially if it's been written for women, I am left with this thought: Oh. That is who I am supposed to be. But when I read Sharon Garlough Brown, author of the Sensible Shoes series, ...

From the very beginning of my writing journey, other writers have helped me. They've encouraged me, mentored me, corrected me and challenged me. I've learned from so many people, both officially in classrooms and unofficially over coffee or casual feedback over a ...

Recently I texted "You're welcome" to a friend, who had thanked me for two simple things I did. A magazine I gave her and a conversation I had with her son, who is the same age and temperament as my son. I ...

I presented a seminar at Urbana18 this year, on The Beautiful Intersection of Faith and Writing (writers can't have normal titles for their writing workshops). In preparation I asked for suggested writing books from my Facebook writing buddies. I asked. They answered. ...

During the first week of my master's studies, away from home and back in Halifax, I called Brent more than once, speaking in my weary, weepy, wavering voice. I was afraid of failure, of wasting our money, of making a fool of ...

A few weekends ago, two of the kids and I drove from Ottawa to Malagash where my parents live, for a surprise birthday party for my mom, who turns 80 in January. There were so many surprises. • There is a potato ...

I have been thinking lately that life can be very pleasant, if you count up all the lovely moments. So, here are three of my recent ones that have stayed with me, cheering me up and along. A couple of Sundays ago ...

Years ago, my husband Brent and I moved to Vancouver so he could do a Master of Divinity at Regent College. I think I can say, although others might disagree, that it was a heyday for Regent. No other Canadian school fully ...